A Perfect 10 to Me
By Glinda
Part of my job here at Teeny Manolo is writing about celebrities and their kids. Because even though we should all be worried about global warming and the tanking economy, people just cannot seem to get enough Cindy Crawford and Posh Spice. I wasn’t talking about you, though, I was talking about those guys over there. The ones that make Perez Hilton and TMZ two of the top sites on the internet.
However, in writing about celebrity parents and their children, I vowed from day one that no matter what, I would not make fun of a famous child. Ever. I think that their parents are the ones who have put themselves in a position to be photographed by dozens of paparazzi whilst shopping at Whole Foods and are therefore not exempt. They are adults who have made presumably adult decisions about what they are wearing and how they look and know full well what they have gotten themselves into.
The kids, on the other hand, really had no say that they were born or adopted by the likes of Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears, or whoever. I actually don’t really like how the kids are followed around, I think it is a bit creepy to have a horde snapping pics while you attempt to drop your child off at school. But, the alternative is to allow them to go out only when disguised with a scarf a la Michael Jackson, or not leave the house at all. Neither of which are particularly good alternatives.
So I tend to emphasize the positive about celebrity children, even while gently snarking on their parents. As a fellow parent, I can’t imagine how it would feel to have someone hiding behind a keyboard saying mean things about my kid. People saying stuff about myself, I could handle. My kid, not really. On this issue I can empathize with them. On the fake tan and boobage issues, uh, not so much.
Thus, while reading about the benefit given by Gucci and Madonna for Malawi, I was shocked to see the things people were saying about Madonna’s daughter Lourdes. I won’t repeat what they were saying, as I found their remarks immature and inappropriate. Lourdes is only ten freaking years old, and people are already expecting physical perfection from her. I find that disheartening and on another level, disturbing.
What’s next? Liposuction for the 8 year old, who in between growth spurts has a bit of a tummy? Hair implants for bald newborns? Cheekbone implants for the roundfaced toddler?
Let’s just allow kids to be kids, shall we? They’ve unfortunately got an entire lifetime ahead of them to worry about their looks.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
NO I can’t believe people would diss a child!!!! That is unbelievably cruel and inhumane. Seriously.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Well met and well said Glinda. I applaud your ethic and your writing.
February 20th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I think she’s a pretty little girl. There are some mean people out there. I remember when Limbaugh made fun of Chelsea Clinton (when she about 13 – who ISN”T awkward at that age?!?). Trash the parents all you want – her father was president, I think he could take it – but leave the kids alone. You’re totally right – they don’t ask to be born famous.
But she looks really happy, which is a credit to Madonna.
February 20th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I just wanted to say, in case anyone thought differently, that I have never been instructed to make fun of children. The Manolo has much more class than that.
February 20th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
It’s funny when I loaded the page and saw that picture my first two reactions were “wow that’s a lot of poise for a kid!” and “good for Madonna, dressing her kid in something age appropriate.”
Now I’m having fun feeling all superior because it didn’t occurr to me to criticize her the way I would an adult. *makes snotty faces*
February 20th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I was thinking the same thing — she’s dressed very age-appropriately, she looks healthy and happy, and she obviously has a good bond with her mother.
Well done, Madge!
And anybody who says mean things about Lourdes deserves to have Madonna’s Pilates-toned arm deliver a swift punch in the chops.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
And let’s also note that Madonna and Lourdes are both beautifully and age-appropriately dressed as well.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I think I’m pretty safe in saying that the thought never even occurred to us, as the Manolo has always been the epitome of class. : )
February 21st, 2008 at 1:09 am
I am not thrilled with the fact that Madge’s publicity machine releases information about Lourdes’ trips to the day spa, etc. If you are going to ask the press to look at your kids, then that is what they are going to do. Madonna knows how this works and is complicit in the whole press mess.
Also, that kid spends way too much time in day spas for a ten-year-old. I don’t make up the facts, I just report ’em.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:35 am
I have to agree with those here who said kudos for the pretty, age-appropriate dress! She looks lovely and they both look like they’re having a nice time. What’s to make fun of?
February 21st, 2008 at 11:49 am
OK, I’ll bite, but this is a criticism of Madonna. What’s with the dark nail polish on a little girl? And worse, dark nail polish that was probably applied by a $50 manicurist instead of by Lourdes herself in a moment of rebellion?
February 21st, 2008 at 3:12 pm
How can one diss Lola? She’s lovely. (And while I have heard tell of a spoiled lifestyle, that’s not exactly her fault.) I’m just glad to see that Madonna’s not rolling round the carpet in her purple high-cut leotard anymore. That was just so wrong.
February 21st, 2008 at 3:33 pm
My observations of blog posts are that Lourdes gets comments about her facial hair, not her dress or behavior. I don’t think it’s nice to make fun of celebrity kids, but it would be a lot harder for people to comment if celebrities didn’t sell pics of their kids to magazines or expose them unnecessarily to paparazzi.
class-factotum, I don’t think the dark nail polish is a big deal. She’s 12 years old (ish), not a little girl, so it’s entirely possible that she chose the color herself. I doubt she needs to rebel much (yet). And I wish I could have had a manicurist do my nails at that age.
February 21st, 2008 at 5:58 pm
It does raise the interesting question of just what one could do to rebel against Madonna…
February 21st, 2008 at 6:27 pm
“It does raise the interesting question of just what one could do to rebel against Madonna…”
Okay, I’m now going to spend the rest of the day contemplating that question.
So far, the best answer I can come up with is live in shapeless tee shirts and jeans, choose to flip burgers for a living, and never be caught dead in a gym.
That said, I echo those noting that Lourdes looks happy, well nurtured, and dressed in an entirely age-appropriate way, day spa trips notwithstanding. I can’t argue with that.
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:24 pm
“It does raise the interesting question of just what one could do to rebel against Madonna…”
Become a nun.
Become a Republican.
Wait until she’s married to have sex and to get pregnant.